Robotic vs. Traditional Surgery: Benefits, Safety, and Faster Recovery

It used to be that surgical procedures used the “open” technique; that is, they employed long incisions to access the target area, resulting in an increased risk of blood loss and infection and requiring a long recovery time.

That changed as laparoscopic (minimally invasive) techniques were developed, and then again as surgeons moved to robot-assisted surgeries.

At Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, board-certified general surgeon Dr. John Bollins and his staff use robotic surgery whenever possible with the well-tested, FDA-approved, and state-of-the-art da Vinci® system. Robotic surgery offers several benefits compared with traditional techniques. Here, the team discusses its advantages.

What is robot-assisted surgery?

Robot-assisted surgery is used to enhance minimally invasive techniques. Despite what you might think, robot-assisted surgery does NOT mean that a robot performs the procedure.

Rather, Dr. Bollins sits at a console, guiding the robotic “arm” and “hands” as they work with tools such as scalpels and retractors. He views the work through the system’s 3DHD system, which provides 3D images with up to 10X magnification on a screen on the console. The technology also boosts his visualization by highlighting specific structures within the treatment area.

This package allows greater motion precision, helps the surgeon navigate areas where human hands are too large to fit comfortably, helps filter out issues such as small tremors in the surgeon’s hands, and provides exceptional images so he can make decisions on the fly, if necessary.

The FDA approved the da Vinci system in 2000, and a quarter of a century later, it’s used in hospitals across all 50 US states and 64 countries worldwide. It handles procedures in many specialties, including gynecologic, urologic, cardiac, and general surgery. And close to 75% of prostate cancer surgeries in the US are performed with this system.

Best of all, it has a proven track record of positive outcomes.

Benefits of robotic surgery

Minimally invasive techniques were a revolution in surgical benefits when they were introduced. Because they use buttonhole-sized incisions instead of long cuts, they reduce the risk of blood loss and infection. Because less tissue is damaged during the procedure, recovery times are shorter, and complications are fewer.

Robot-assisted surgery offers the same kind of revolution and positive results. Because the work is so precise, there’s even less tissue damage than with minimally invasive procedures. As a result, patients report less pain and postoperative bleeding, fewer infections, and a faster return to their normal activities.

If you’re considering a surgical procedure, why not choose the least invasive option that delivers the best possible results? Schedule a consultation with Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota by calling our Hibbing, Duluth, or Ely, Minnesota, office, or booking your appointment online.

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